Page 63 of Thorulf

Chapter Twenty-Four

THOUGH THORULF QUIVEREDwith the exquisite sensation of taking Jade, filling her with his seed, knowing she was in heat, he wanted more the minute he let go. He wanted to thrust again and again until her belly swelled with his offspring, then keep thrusting. Keep taking. Drive into her that only he could make her feel this way.

Only he could love her like she should be loved.

“I love you,” he groaned, never meaning it so much. He flipped her, came over her, and cupped her cheek. Made sure she saw it in his eyes. Saw it in his soul. “I’ve loved you since the minute I saw you before I was even born.”

There was no missing the conflict in her startled gaze or in the thoughts swirling through her mind. Happiness that he didn’t just say it but truly meant it. Fear that it could be ripped away all over again.

“You shouldn’t,” she whispered. “History’s proven emotions like that make us vulnerable.”

“Who we are made us vulnerable.” He dropped a soft kiss on her lips. “Our Celtic magic.” He dropped another. “The negativity you’ve filtered.” He shook his head. “Not the love we shared.”

He might be unsure about a lot but not that. Thor was right. Love was their strength, and they needed to find it again. Remember it. Because it had always been theirs. Was undoubtedly still in her every bit as much as it was in him.

Jade didn’t respond, but he knew she followed his thoughts. Felt her hope that he was right. And that was a good beginning. A perfect beginning because that meant it was only a matter of time.

Rather than try to convince her, he showed her and kissed her again. This time long and passionately. Kissed her with all the emotions a kiss was supposed to invoke when a dragon was with their mate. Kissed her like he had hundreds of times before they forgot about each other.

When he was done doing that, he slowly made his way down her body, reintroducing himself to curves he couldn’t believe he’d forgotten. He remembered now, though, and it was like coming home mixed with such raging desire, he vaguely wondered if he’d last long enough to take her again.

Her eyes slid shut. She arched into the way he stroked and fondled her while suckling then nipping her nipples. She’d always liked a dash of pain with the pleasure. Not a lot. Just enough. And he knew exactly where. All the little tender places on her magnificent body. The smooth plane of her stomach. The flare of her hips. The firm softness of her inner thighs.

By the time he made it to her sweet, moist center, his arousal downright hurt. That didn’t stop him from enjoying every minute of sampling then devouring her, though. Tasting everything she had to offer. Working her flesh precisely how she liked it, he kept her peaking again and again until she groaned that he stop. That she wanted her turn too before she passed out.

He’d been with an unfortunate amount of women, and none had been like her when it came to wanting to please a man as much as he pleased her. More if she had her way, which, as he soon found out when Jade made him lie back and hadher turn, was a distinct possibility. Not only did she know every spot he found pleasure, but she enjoyed giving it to him every bit as much as he had her. So said the little noises of approval she released as she made her way down.

Regrettably, as he feared would be the case, he didn’t give her long to enjoy herself once she got to his cock. He’d become too aroused servicing her, and the feel of her warm mouth was just too much. She’d only pulled him in a few times before he grabbed her head and did what he knew she liked. Gripped her hair just tight enough, thrust deep, and let go.

After that, everything became a mix of desperation to have more of what had been gone from them for so long and the challenge of seeing who could outdo the other. Jade was exceptionally creative, her energy unmatched, but he knew little ways to cripple her defenses and bring her back under his spell.

Sometimes they enjoyed each other in bed. Other times on the floor. On a chair. Against the wall. Upside down, right side up, backward, frontward, and sideways. Sometimes she screamed in pleasure. Other times whimpered and purred.

They lost track of time as the night wore on. At some point, they settled for a few minutes and basked in the afterglow. Or he supposed that’s what some might call it. He’d never been so well-satisfied and continually aroused at the same time. Never wanted to stay in his lodge forever if it meant he could enjoy her flesh until the day he died.

“This is...was...” Jade whispered hoarsely as they caught their breath and enjoyed coming down from their last bout of lovemaking. Her cheek rested on his upper ab just beneath his heart. “I’m...scared.”